suggested MOS? (looking at MI) and long-term scheduling.

February 5th, 2013, 02:13 AM

Hi!

I'll be enlisting in the Iowa National Guard this summer, aiming for mid June just after my sister's wedding. The singular barrier is weight, but I'm working earnestly on that, and is not the question in this thread.

I'm 25, with several years of college behind me, but checkered --both good and bad-- and no degree yet. Boatloads of credits worth 3 halves of a degree, but no whole degree.
Hoping some discipline will get me back on track to finish the engineering degree that I started.
After my unfinished schooling, I most recently spent 2 years as an automotive mechanic and received ASE master tech certification, so there is that.

I want to be an engineer, and, I want to feel good again about my technical abilities. This does not preclude looking at being a mechanic for the army, but at the suggestion of the recruiter, MI might also be of interest (and is something the Iowa national guard has openings in). With MI in mind, a friend suggested in particular 33w (35t now?) http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjobs/a/33w.htm

Which specific MOS's would you recommend for me?
how do I see the table of exactly what Iowa National Guard is hiring for? My recruiter said he would send it to me, but it has not happened.. although he did also say that that list is not exact, anyway, and other options are open or will become open even if not present on the formal job openings chart at this time.

A separate question is timing.
I've been accepted to Iowa State University, and will be pursuing either industrial or materials engineering. I aim to attend in Spring 2014, leaving Fall 2013 for my MOS training.
So... if I begin boot camp, 9 weeks, in the 2nd or 3rd week of June... begin an MOS training immediately afterwards in the first week of September... does someone have tables of when each MOS training starts (rolling admissions each week, or for some of them not quite so frequently), and how long the training lasts for, to aim to be in school again in late January 2014?
And does longer training = a more interesting, more technically skilled and involved MOS (a good thing)?

I think whatever MOS you do choose, it should be something that you are good at and are interested in doing for the next 6+ years. It sounds like you are already looking at your different options, so you're on the right track. Others can give you their opinions, but they are just that: opinions.

As to your other questions concerning training timeline, you really need to discuss this with your recruiter. They will have access to the up and coming training slots and can help you plan accordingly.